Gerhard “Gerry” R. Andlinger died December 22, 2017, at age 86. A memorial service was held on January 20, 2018, in the Princeton University Chapel.
In 1948, as the world raced to recover from World War II, an Austrian teenager named Gerhard R. Andlinger wrote an essay titled “The World I Want” in response to an American newspaper’s contest.
In the seven decades since that essay won him a ticket to the United States and, ultimately, Princeton University, Gerry Andlinger set about building that world. Through a storied career in business and philanthropy, Andlinger brought passion, vision, and managerial acumen to building companies and supporting institutions. His leadership would add value, solve problems, and shape future generations of leaders.
That passion and vision came together in 2008, exactly 60 years after his essay, with his gift of $100 million to the University to accelerate research on effective and multi-faceted solutions to the problems of energy and the environment. With the gift, the University created the Gerhard R. Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment.
“We’re tremendously grateful for his gift of this center,” said Yueh-Lin (Lynn) Loo, director of the Andlinger Center and Theodora D. ’78 and William H. Walton III ’74 Professor in Engineering and professor of chemical and biological engineering. “He set an example in his generosity, and he worked very hard to bring life to the optimistic vision he had.”
